The invention relates generally to medical cabinets and more specifically to medical cabinets having an adjustable user interface or computer terminal.
In a hospital or other patient care setting, a large number of medications and other medical supplies may be used to provide treatment to one or more patients. These medical supplies and/or medications are often stored in various dispensing devices, such as cabinets, drawers, compartments, and the like. These devices may also include other peripheral components that are used in the treatment of patients and/or for other purposes. Because dispensing devices may store various supplies and/or peripheral components that are used to treat a variety of patients, it is important that such dispensing devices minimize size while maximizing storage capacity and/or usage.
The dispensing devices may also include or otherwise be communicatively coupled with a computer that is designed to authorize users, track inventory, and/or perform other functions. The computer is often integrated within the dispensing device or rigidly attached thereto, such as by being attached to a top surface of the device. This configuration allows the computer to be transported with the dispensing device (in the case of a mobile device), but does not allow the computer to be adjusted relative to the device or minimizes any such adjustability.
Users working with the dispensing device may need to perform various different and sometimes unrelated tasks such as, for example, administering treatment to a patient, filling out paperwork, measuring and/or recording patient vital signs, scanning various documents, and the like. These different tasks often require that the dispensing device be used in different ways. For example, extra work space may be needed to fill out paperwork while quick access to the computer may be needed to access medical supplies and/or record vital signs. Because of the different tasks a user may be required to perform and/or the different usage requirement of the dispensing device, a need exists for a dispensing device that may be adjusted according to need and/or usage while minimizing device size and/or interference with other components.